BMJ switches to more environmentally friendly wrapping

From this week, The BMJ will be using two new wrappers for mailing out subscriber copies.

Photograph: Casey Horner on Unsplash

For BMJ’s largest print distribution, which goes to hospital doctors and
academics, the journal will be sent in a sustainably produced recyclable
paper wrapper.

For BMJ’s smaller print distribution, which goes to GPs and retired
doctors, paper wrapping is not yet feasible, says the company, so this will
be sent in the next best thing - a carbon neutral polymer wrapper derived
from the waste products of sugar cane processing.

All copies will be sent in recyclable paper as soon as this is feasible,
says BMJ.

As well as improving the way the journal is wrapped, The BMJ says it
continues to ensure that it is printed on the most environmentally friendly
paper.

This comes from offcuts and thinnings of trees harvested from sustainably
managed forests. The trees themselves are used by the Swedish construction
industry instead of environmentally damaging materials such as concrete, so
in buying the offcuts The BMJ is also helping to make sustainable
construction more financially viable.

And for those who prefer digital reading, The BMJ’s mobile app is available
to BMA members and BMJ subscribers from the Apple App Store or Google Play.

“We realise that if The BMJ is to advocate for more sustainable healthcare
we must continuously work to get our own house in order,” say Juliet
Dobson, Digital Content Editor and Tom Moberly, UK Editor. “We will
continue to explore more sustainable options for printing and wrapping The
BMJ as part of our commitment to reducing our impact on the environment.”